National Day/ Qatar Foundation in Heart of National Development

Doha, December 17 (QNA) - Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) works to be the 'driving force' of Qatar's transformation into a knowledge-based economy by launching human capacity, not only in the State of Qatar but in the entire world as well. To achieve this goal, QF pursues a comprehensive vision based on three pillars, education, scientific research and community development. Qatar National Vision 2030 showed how the State of Qatar is harnessing its revenues towards a knowledge-based economy. As creativity, thought, and critical thinking are the foundation to build a knowledge-based economy, the development of human capital comes at the top of the priorities of this vision for the next twenty years. Qatar Foundation currently has about 4,600 students. 1200 students from 90 different nationalities has been graduated from QF Universities. Last year, Qatar Foundation accomplished many achievements boosted the its efforts to achieve its principles and objectives in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030. Regarding the education area, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar offered two programs in biological sciences and computational biology in 2011 for the first time in the Middle East. The new branch for Qatar Academy was opened in Wakra in September 2011 with the aim of providing the highest levels of education. In 2012, HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, officially launched the Qatar National Library project that will play a major role in unlocking human potentials and achieving a cultural and scientific renaissance. The Library will be ready for official launch by 2014. Regarding the science and research pillar that Qatar Foundation based on, a research team from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q) unlocked Genetic Secrets of Date Palm. This scientific discovery will offer many significant benefits for agriculture in the State of Qatar and the entire region. The series of "TECH talks" which has been launched by Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) in 2007 continued to found solutions for pressing technological issues facing the World today, including mathematical computing and solar energy technologies. Six undergraduate students invented an electronic application to learn Arabic as the first practical test of their research skills and technical knowledge as part of the "Hot Summer, Cool Research" internship program at Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI). In July 2011, Sidra Medical and Research Center (Sidra) signed an agreement with "Cerner", one of the most technologically advanced health care facilities in the Middle East. In April 2012, QSTP signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Italy's largest health insurance company (FASI). Under the agreement, FASI will use QSTP's Rasad platform as part of an initiative to shift focus to preventive healthcare. In the same sector, the first phase of the 'Loghati' (my language) project was launched at the Capitoline Museum in the Italian capital, Rome. It is the second Qatari technology developed by QSTP. In the same area, Virgin Health Bank to store stem cells, and the Qatar Biobank for the collection of biological samples were established. Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), established by Qatar Foundation in 2006, has allocated about $500 million for research in Qatar during five years. In October 2012, Qatar Foundation held the Joint Qatar Foundation Annual Research Forum and Arab Expatriate Scientists Network. The Forum unveiled a Qatar's National Research Strategy. Meanwhile, Qatar Computing Research Institute, member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, began in 2011 a partnership with the Wikimedia Foundation to reinvigorate the Arabic content on Wikipedia, the world's largest free encyclopedia, increasing the quantity and quality of contributions. As part of its Ethraa initiative to increase and enrich Arabic content online, Qatar Computing Research Institute (QCRI) has partnered with Taghreedat, an Arabic digital content community initiative, to organise an 'Arabic YouTube Tweetup'. Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) and SolarWorld company have presented the electric super car, Tesla Roadster, which works by solar energy. This year, QF launched Qatar Sustainability Network (QSN) to reflect Qatar's Keenness and commitment to environment and sustainability issues and to attract the public to work in this sector. In the field of community development, Qatar Foundation has received Cisco Innovation Award for the 'Most Society Impacting Network' for its state of the art National Research and Education Network project (QFREN) following a tough competition with worldwide organisations. In December 2011, QF opened the Qatar National Convention. The building has been designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. Also in 2011, Reach Out To Asia (ROTA), member of Qatar Foundation, launched new projects. In total, almost 300,000 community members have benefitted from these projects. ROTA has also held a gala dinner at the end of 2011 and raised more than $13 million in support of educational and community projects set up by the institution abroad. In December 2012, HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon launched Climate Change Research Institute. HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairman of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, also launched the National Organ Donation Program. HH led the way for future generations by registering as an organ donor at Qatar Organ Donation Center at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC). An ambitious partnership began in July 2012 between Qatar Foundation (QF) and the British Library to digitize more than half a million pages of historic documents detailing Arab history and culture. (QNA)